The
Lake Chelan appellation is among the newest and most scenic of Washington
state's wine-growing regions. Its foray into
wine-grape growing began relatively recently, while its
reputation as an intoxicating travel destination is
historic. Lake Chelan has appealed to tourists,
water-sport enthusiasts, skiing and backcountry hikers for
many years, while its status as an American Viticultural
Area (AVA) was gained in April of 2009.

This beautiful region
is located in north central Washington
and now offers twenty-one wineries,
with others making plans to join them soon..

The
breathtaking beauty of the area is second to none in
Washington State, and wineries take advantage
of lake
views when locating their tasting rooms. The narrow,
fjord-like lake acts in a similar fashion as a river in
moderating temperatures for the growing area.

A surprisingly
high number of
heat units have been recorded for the Lake Chelan Valley
over several years at nearby weather
stations. A range of 2600 -
3300 heat units make for a good growing season for
many grape varieties, and the city of Chelan records approximately
2,900, similar to Walla Walla, Sunnyside, and Prosser,
Washington. The last two hard freezes in
the Northwest did not damage to the area. The
region receives an average annual rainfall of 11
inches, with 39 inches of average annual snowfall.

Geology and Access

The geographic
boundaries of the Lake Chelan AVA generally
follow the line of site on both sides of the Lake, excluding
higher elevations, and include the City of Chelan
itself. Several features distinguish it from its
neighboring AVAs, including its elevation, soil derived from
the crystalline granite of the Cascade Mountains, location
in the rain shadow of the Northern Cascade Mountains,
distinctive U-shaped topography and vineyards located around
Lake Chelan that capitalize on the “lake effect” of moderate
air temperatures.

Lake Chelan AVA

The Lake Chelan
Winegrowers Association filed an American
Viticultural Area (AVA) application in 2006;
in April 2009, official authorization of the
Lake Chelan AVA was published in the
Federal Register. This newest of Washington
State's
authorized AVAs
establishes the 24,040-acre area surrounding Lake Chelan
as the 11th appellation in the state.
Located in north central
Washington, the Lake Chelan Valley
lies entirely within the Columbia Valley AVA
and is about 112 miles east-northeast of
Seattle. Distinguishing features of
the Lake Chelan viticultural area
include its geology, geography, soils, and
climate as directly influenced by past
alpine glacial activity of the Cascade
region. Lake Chelan Valley is the only
valley in the Cascade Range in Oregon or
Washington that holds a natural lake of its
size. The climate of the agricultural and
viticultural lands surrounding the lower
(eastern) end of the lake is strongly
moderated by the thermal effect of the lake
on the air temperatures. The glacier that
formed during the last ice age and traveled
from the Cascade crest to the eastern end of
the modern lake left a defining imprint on
the landforms of the Lake Chelan Valley.
Also, pumice
and ash from eruptions of volcanoes in the
Cascade Range (principally Glacier Peak to
the west of the new viticultural area) formed soils that are ashier and more pumiceous than those in any other
established viticultural area in Washington
State.

Consistently
ranked as one of the most pristine waters in the United
States, Lake Chelan's 50.5-mile length acts as a natural
conduit between the rugged mountain peaks up lake and the
lush, fertile down-lake valley. At 1,486 feet, Lake
Chelan is the third deepest lake in the nation, extending
nearly 400 feet below sea level. It was carved by two
competing glaciers
-- the Chelan glacier and the continental ice sheet. Their
back-and-forth movement created the broad lower lake and
narrow upper lake, an 80-mile long glacial valley near the
geographical center of Washington State.

The semi-arid rolling hills
surrounding the resort communities at the east end of the
lake give little hint of the spectacular views offered as
you travel up the lake, which for most of its length lies in
a gorge deeper than the Grand Canyon. Roads extend less than
halfway to the headwaters of Lake Chelan. Beyond the end of
the road, rugged snowcapped peaks rise over 7,000 feet from
the lakeshore, and dark evergreens cover the mountainsides. Deep valleys rise from the
north side of the lake to massive glaciers in the
heart of the North Cascades.

At the upper end of Lake
Chelan, limited local roads do not connect the communities
of Stehekin and Holden Village to the outside world. This
remoteness and the spectacular setting have inspired Federal
protection for much of the region. Portions of a National
Park, two National Forest Wilderness Areas, and a National
Recreation Area encompass much of the Lake Chelan drainage. Access to the headwaters of Lake Chelan
and the town of Stehekin is by a passenger
ferry or by seaplane.

The Wineries and Vineyards

The late Dr. Walter Klore of Washington State wine industry
fame created a report on this area some time during the
1980s. He was particularly impressed by the land in the
valley's lower
elevations. At that time, scattered concord
plantings and a bit of chardonnay and pinot noir were
the only attempts at viticulture.

More recently, growers have planted vineyards in the area to
Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Riesling,
Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, as well as more Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir. The Valley has been known most
commonly as a prime apple-growing region.
The same apple-growing conditions are key to growing premium
wine grapes... warm days and cool nights, with
temperatures moderated by the waters of Lake Chelan.

While only about 260 acres in the region have been
planted, plans are underway to plant hundreds
more. Many Lake Chelan wineries also purchase
grapes from vineyards in other parts of the Columbia Valley.

There is a lot of excitement about the
quality of locally grown Lake Chelan grapes, but
equally
exciting is the caliber of winemaking skills
represented at these newly established wineries;
wine awards are already being accumulated.

The wineries in the Lake Chelan appellation (a sub-appellation
of the Columbia Valley AVA) began leaving their
doors open
year-round in 2004. And why not?
Lake Chelan is already a popular destination spot among
travelers for water and winter sports, hiking and skiing,
and for family vacations. Those who love to include winery visits and
tastings in their travels are certain to enjoy the scenic loop of
Lake Chelan wineries around the eastern end of the Lake... all within an easy drive
of the City of Chelan.